Batter and breading machine

ABSTRACT

It consists in a bedplate ( 1 ) in whose upper part two areas are distinguished ( 1   a  and  1   b ), the first of them ( 1   a ) with a tank ( 4 ) for food agglutinating, while in the second area ( 1   b ) there is a strangling for throwing the battered or breaded ingredient of the product, which areas are each provided with endless bands ( 5  and  6 ), driven by a plurality of rolls, to submerge the product in tank ( 4 ) and for taking the product with agglutinating under the mentioned breaded strangling respectively, which endless bands ( 5, 6 ) are driven by a motor with speed variator and each have over them organs that they remove, respectively, the excess of breaded and battered agglutinating, and because second endless band ( 6 ) is fitted on an own chassis ( 7 ) that, at the same time, is included in the chassis of the bedplate ( 1 ).

[0001] The present invention is directed towards a batter and breadingmachine, where meat products and other prepared foods are battered. Withthe present invention, the mechanical and hygienic characteristics ofthe machine are improved in that the components are streamlined andpower consumption reduced.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Breading machines are known that include a bedplate in which twoareas are distinguished; a first area that forms a tank which it fillsof glue or food agglutinating and where the product in question isintroduced in order that it receives a bath and is impregnated of saidfood agglutinating, and a second area which upper part shapes astrangulation capable of driving the batter ingredient, such asbreadcrumbs, which goes to the meat product or other prepared.

[0003] The first mentioned area has a first endless band, formed withmetallic rods, suitable to take and to immerse the meat product oranother one in the mentioned tank, as the first band ends at a secondendless band, with a constitution similar to the first, arrangedpartially below the second area and leading to the product in question,already battered or breaded, towards the exit of the machine.

[0004] The first endless band has a configuration, substantially, in “V”appropriated, to enter in the own tank container of the agglutinating orsimilar, while the second band forms a substantially horizontal sectiontowards the exit. Both endless bands are driven by a driven member, withspeed variator, through respective power chains.

[0005] The same machine has two air blower organs driven by the samemotor: an air blower located at the exit of the first band and the otherone located on the second band in order to clear, respectively, theexcess of battered and agglutinating from the meat product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The machines previously described have several disadvantages. Inthe first place, the fact that the mentioned endless bands are driven bychains requiring a complicated detachment of such chains. Therefore,there is difficulty in the periodic disassembling of the same ones inorder to carry out a good cleaning of these bands. Such operation iscompulsory in components that continuously are in contact with foodproducts which are susceptible to ferment if the due and precisecleaning is not observed.

[0007] There is an additional disadvantage, resulting from the fact thatthe second endless band is fitted on an only chassis, the one of themachine, which also makes difficult its periodic disassembling.

[0008] Another factor that represents an increase in the price of themachine is the need for two air blower organs to clear the excesses ofbattered and agglutinating and from the treated product.

[0009] All the mentioned disadvantages are solved in the present batterand breading machine. Indeed, in the batter and breading machine of thepresent invention, the advantage that the second endless band is fittedon a double chassis, makes it easier for the cleaning of the same one.Also the mentioned endless bands are driven by means of a gear systemfrom which it is very easy to detach them in order to disassemble thecorresponding band and to proceed with cleaning precisely andperiodically.

[0010] The second endless band, instead of being invariably horizontallike in known machines, is capable of experiencing certain variations oflayout in the exit zone of the machine, which it gives a certainversatility in the form to unload the treated meat product.

[0011] Another advantage of the present machine is economy of cost andelectrical consumption, wherein the second air blower organ is replacedby rods that remove the leftover battered of the treated product. This,as well as it contributes the same effectiveness that in the previousmachines, supposes the saving of mentioned the second air blower, whichallows that the motor that drove both air blower can be of reduced powerand, therefore, of smaller consumption.

[0012] These and other advantages will be appreciated better in thedetailed description that it follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 represents a general view, and in perspective, of thepresent machine.

[0014]FIG. 2 illustrates, also in perspective, is an extended detail ofthe connection through gear means to drive the two endless bands, withone of them separated to the machine.

[0015]FIG. 3 is another perspective view that belongs to second endlessband fully out of the machine.

[0016]FIG. 4 illustrates a view of a tensor device of the first endlessband.

[0017]FIGS. 5a, 5 b, 5 c correspond to other diagrams that give a schemeof several settings of the circuit of the second endless band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The improved batter and breading machine of the present invention(FIG. 1) comprises a body of bedplate 1 with legs 2 equipped with wheels3 for possible movement, it being possible to distinguish in the samebedplate a rear area of gluing 1 a and a front area of battered 1 b.

[0019] In the area 1 a or rear part of the machine, from where the meator food product is introduced to be treated, there is a tank 4 that itis filled, like it is well-known, of glue or food agglutinating; and inthat same tank 4 is housed a first endless band 5 that forms a generallayout in “V” in order to enter the mentioned product in the same tank4.

[0020] In the area 1 b or front half of the machine there is a secondendless band 6 that is fitted in an own chassis 7 that, as well, it isincluded in the chassis of bedplate 1 of the machine.

[0021] Both endless bands 5, 6 are made of meshy constitution, like itis well-known, and are equipped with a plurality of support rolls 8, oneof which 9, 10 respectively, is laterally finished by a correspondinglateral pinion 11, 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3) that gears with a gear wheel 13that, as well, receives the drive of the corresponding motor with speedvariator (non visible, but of conventional type). This, doubtlesslyconfers to referred 5, 6 bands a remarkable ease to remove them frommentioned wheel 13 and to separate them from the machine in order toproceed to its cleaning, as it is illustrated in the same FIG. 2 whereit appears the first endless band 5 totally separated, and in FIG. 3that it shows the second band 6 separated too along with its own chassis7.

[0022] Returning to the FIG. 1, and like it is well known, at the exitof the first endless band 5 there is an air blower tube 14 driven by acorresponding ventilator (not visible but like it is well known) whoseair impulsion clears the excess of agglutinating that it is depositedover the product to be treated, while in the halfway area of the upperpart of the machine, at the beginning of the second band 6, there issomething similar to a “bridge” 15 whose upper part 16 is opened inorder to be able to throw, through itself, the batterer or breaderingredient, as breadcrumbs, with the distinguishing feature that fromthe front part, or exit of this “bridge” 15, series of rods 17 arehanging, forming a curtain appropriate to touch with the product alreadybattered (not illustrated) and to clear it the excess of battered orbreading. This saves to install a second tube or air blower element, aswell as to envisage a more powerful ventilator and a greaterconsumption.

[0023] On the other hand (FIG. 4) in order to maintain the mentionedconfiguration in “V” and its due tension of the first band 5, a pair oftensor elements has been envisaged in the present machine, one in eachend of the edge of the dihedral angle that it forms the same band 5,constituted each one by a piece in “U” 18, as a horseshoe, in whichpiece is supported the respective trunnion 19 of a cross-sectionalrunner 20 to the same endless band 5, at the same time that the curvedlower portion of each mentioned element 18 presses on the repeated band5. And in order to regulate said pressure, the outer lateral rims ofsaid tensor 18 are grooved and are capable of running by a correspondingwheel 21 installed in the respective lateral of that tank 4. Therefore,going up or down the same tensor in “U” 18 the tension granted to theband 5 is regulated.

[0024] Finally, and returning again to the FIG. 1, it is possible toappreciate that the second endless band 6 is capable of adopting, in itsfront portion, several curves in order to influence the exit of thetreated product, as it is outlined in the FIGS. 5a, 5 b, and 5 c, allthis taking advantage of one turning points and putting out of actionanother turning points of the rolls 8 that go with the circuit of thesame band 6. Therefore, the FIG. 5a outlines an exit example of thetreated product in which this one, after running by a first section,substantially horizontal, falls to a second section of a lower level andequally horizontal, in order to cause in said falling an overturn of thementioned product; in the FIG. 5b, however, the product runs by a firsthorizontal section and later it runs to a second inclined and remarkablydescendent section. Finally, in accordance to the FIG. 5c said treatedproduct leaves by a continuously horizontal section, all of them inaccordance to the unloading necessities and the type of receiving organof the same product (that it is not illustrated because it can be any ofwell known type and because, in addition, it is not an object of thisinvention).

[0025] The nature of the invention as well as its intrinsic advantageshaving been described, it is pointed out that the present batter andbreading machine could be constructed in the most suitable form, in themost appropriate size and with the most convenient materials and moreconvenient means, being all of this within the spirit of the followingclaims.

1. An improved batter and breading machine, applicable to the treatmentof meat products and other food products, and of the type that consistsin a bedplate in whose upper part two areas are distinguished (1 a and 1b), the first of them (1 a) shaped as a tank (4) that can be filled of afood agglutinating, while at the beginning of the second area (1 b)there is a strangling with the intention to throw the battered orbreaded ingredient of the product to be treated, which areas are eachprovided with endless bands (5 and 6), driven by a plurality of rolls,to submerge the product to treat in that tank (4) and in order to takethe same product with agglutinating under the mentioned breadedstrangling respectively, which endless bands (5, 6) are driven by amotor with speed variator and each have over them organs that theyremove, respectively, the excess of breaded and battered agglutinating,characterized in that the second endless band (6) is fitted on a chassis(7) that, at the same time, is included in the chassis of the bedplate(1).
 2. A machine in accordance to claim 1 characterized in that inaddition to the plurality of rolls, each endless band is supported anddriven by respective rolls (9, 10) finished off in an end by acorresponding lateral pinion (11, 12) that meshes with the driven memberwith speed variator through at least one gear (13).
 3. A machine inaccordance to claim 1 characterized in that said strangling includessomething similar to a cross-sectional bridge (15) which upper part (16)is opened in order to be able to throw, through itself, the battered andbreaded ingredient, with the distinguishing feature that from the frontpart, or exit of said bridge (15), hangs a series of rods (17) thatconstitute an appropriate curtain to brush with the already batteredproduct and remove it the battered excess.
 4. A machine in accordance toclaim 1 characterized in that it includes an adjustable tensor means(18) to provide an adjustable tension to the mentioned first endlessband (5).
 5. A machine in accordance to the claim 4, characterized inthat the tensor means consists of a pair of pieces (18) in “U” likehorseshoes, each one to each lateral side of the tank (4), inside ofsaid pieces (18) is supported the respective trunnion (19) of across-sectional runner (20) to the same endless band (5), at the sametime that the curve lower portion of each mentioned element (18) presseson the repeated band (5), being grooved the outer rims of said pieces(18) and being susceptible to run vertically by a corresponding wheel(21) installed in the respective lateral of that tank (4).
 6. A machinein accordance to at least one of the previous claims characterized inthat the rolls (8) that guide the front portion of the mentioned endlessband (6) are capable of fixing in several pivoting points of the ownchassis (7) giving several curves, as it is convenient, to said frontportion of the band (6) for the exit of the treated product.